The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-09-24
.WARDE'S GLADIATOR
A SPLENDID PERFORMANCES.
A Strong and Beautiful Play Artisticaily
Preaonted-A Fine Company Supporting
a brilliant star-A Stroke of Genius
Captures tho Houso--To.day q Plays. n

Tho large audience assembled at The
Opera House last night Witnessed strong,
beautiful tragedy Of the highest motive
artiutlcally presented. It Ia one Of Mr..
Frederick Warde's mcrits, and not the
least Of them, that he has the true artiat's
pride In bis support and looks we'll TO
every detail. The splendid triumph oil
last night, much az II owed to the excep.
tionally strong altar, was not, alone his.
Infinitely better than that, he gavO 10 his
patrons q performance enjoyable In every
part. S:H 5o T.','i4 NigG
II should, perhaps, DO said at the out.
set that Mr. Ward brought us a Gladia.
tor unlike any other ever seen here or
elsewhere except where no has produced
tho same. Galba resembles Spa,t1cuu In
this only, that both were gladiators. The
latter livod before tho Ohrls!ian ora. Ths
trrgely In which Gdlba performs go heroic
u part Is Interviewer with tho Chsissian
religion, to which 10 fact the play is the
moat sublime oil tributes. There Is, there.
fore, in this Gladiator that which appeals
as no other "Glgdlator" hos to the sym.
patty OF audiences N moved by tho
trials and fortunes Of the early Christians
under their cruel Roman master. Even
were this sympathetic bond lacking, the
heroic clement would 8u1lcs to stir the
blood to resentment and touch tho heart
with absorbing interest in the fats Of the
devoted ones. .. /, ~ !; b. ~, tlt;iyi, fdS
Tho play 10 a superb conception, con.
Btruoted wife infinite skill and OF enough
ehrillipg situations to carry half = dozsn
ordinary productions. Since the original
LETT tho hand OF ita French author 1t has
undergone metamorphosis. Mr.. Ward
has altered aad amended until he has
reached q point ut which his ideal 10 met
It has been his aim to strengthen his
whole play, not merely to build up q star
part. Gaibu does not give him the oppor-
tunity for those delicate touches which
he makea so effective In Tirginius, for ex.
ample, but 1t docs give iree scope 10 his
wonderful power Of filling the audience
with bis own intensity OK purpose, and he
completely matters the situation.
In the fourth ect he swaya at his pleas.
ure every heart thu. Is not too hard to
feel. Last nigh! tho house acknowledged
the talen. OF the man by four times cali
ing him before the curtain. So complete
triumph has never before been seen in
a Wheeling theatre. The applause was
tremendous, but 1t WAS not q greater COM
plimen. to the actor than the eyes
dimmed With tears. Space does
not permit a criticism In de-
tail Of thin fine =. production OF
an unusually fine tragedy. It is enough
to say that the performance cannot be
overmuch .prAiaod. Tonight Mr.. Warde
gives the same bill in steubenyills, and
the people OF that city who enjoy high
order Of tragedy should not miss the op.
postupity to sss this accomplished actor
in one Of tho best things on the stage. {
This afternoon Mr.. Warde, by special
request, gives d matinee in the Opera
House, appearing in Katherine and
Petruchio" and %"Delicate Ground" the
latter charming comedy, in which Mr..
Wsrde has made a decided hit.